Once in a Blue Moon
by Sarien
Summary: [IY/SM] “I said I was bored and I get a mystery.” Things aren't dull anymore for the ex Senshi of Jupiter, especially not after Rei drags her to a 2 month Shinto workshop at the Higurashi Shrine. Some secrets are hard to keep. [more summary inside]
1. Inauspicious Beginnings

**Summary: **[IY/SM] "I said I was bored and I get a mystery." Things aren't dull anymore for the ex Senshi of Jupiter, especially not after Rei drags her to a 2 month Shinto convention at the Higurashi Shrine. Some secrets are hard to keep and mysteries impossible to avoid. Take for example the elusive Higurashi daughter who is talked about but not seen, or the strange vibes from the ancient tree in the back yard, or the male voice that Makoto hears from Kagome's room. As Rei is busy with the workshop, Makoto feels it's her duty to play heroine but it's kind of difficult when you "stumble" into a the past. [Makoto/Kouga, Kagome/Inuyasha, Sango/Miroku]

**Notes: **This story should be about 15 chapters long, and I mean long. *nervous laughter* Once in a Blue Moon is an Inuyasha/Sailor Moon crossover. This story, like anything else that springs from my imagination, is not only Makoto centered but Kagome as well. The points of views change. The other senshi will not be seen at all in this. Rei is in this story, but only for the sake of explaining Makoto's new predicament. You've been warned. There is Romance in addition to the Action/Adventure. 

**Timeline:** OiaBM takes place after in the Inuyasha series after the 98th episode where Kikyo and Kagome work together to get outside of the belly of a demon (Inu-chan unaware that this is going on of course). In the Sailor Moon timeline, I'd say it is about 6 months after Galaxia was defeated. 

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Sailor Moon or Inuyasha, no matter how many plushies I have in the likeness of characters of the series. *cough* Also, seeing as this is the prologue of a story, feedback is welcomed (though it won't put me any closer to owning Bankotsu-kun).

**Once in a Blue Moon: Prologue**

**by Sarien-chan (ChibiSarien@netscape.net)**

The creature wove his way through the forest of pine. His large paws made imprints on the earth, still wet from the previous night's rain. If you backtracked for one mile, you would come across a cave. Two twin sets of tracks led from it, human tracks. For every step forward, they developed more wolfish characteristics, until they were completely wolf. And at that point, one set of paw prints deviated, leaving the other to its straight course. Master trackers would puzzle over this for weeks to come while the village witches made signs of warding… 

Light from the crescent moon streamed through the breaks in the new growth, making his already white fur appear to glow. His speed and strength was obvious in the very way he moved, sinews stretching as he took another powerful step. To the eyes of a human there was no mistaking this creature to be anything but a child of the moon, a wolf. 

But there were no wolf-like thoughts of finding the next meal or protecting the den driving him to reach that high speed. He ran purely to enjoy his new freedom. Thoughts of his previous imprisonment, courtesy of several white-magic users, rang clearly though his mind. There were no memories of life before _they _trapped him a millennium ago. Only a sense of duty, effectively acting like a collar, restrained him from using his powerful fangs to end the life of something passerby out of spite.

_What's this strange feeling? I do not remember any previous life before…the cave. Yet why do I feel this sense of responsibility towards something…no, somebody, I don't even know?_

He bared his teeth in frustration. 

Minutes later he stopped, at the top of a cliff and turned his intense tri colored green orbs towards the moon, hoping to remember more of his past in order to determine what called to his blood.

The crescent moon, however, offered little surcease to emotions the wolf's mind. Instead, the memory it evoked served to further irritate the wolf. 

Makoto-hime 

He knew that he would find no further answers until he found the female who owned that name and the scent of 'earth' that it accompanied it. The wolf turned his nose to the sky and gave an ear-splitting howl. 

Upon hearing the noise, villagers from nearby locked their doors and unconsciously prayed to their gods. The sound of a lone wolf was not a good omen for their health during the long winter months.

**----~(**In another time an place**)~-----**

An auburn haired girl turned her emerald eyes towards the view of a crescent moon outside her window. She shivered, not just from the midnight chill either. 

'Who could be thinking about me at this time of night?'

Putting those thoughts aside, she turned over and attempted to get some jet lag induced sleep.

**[OWARI PROLOGUE]**

**More Notes: **There's a saying that when people talk about you or plot against you (depending on the saying), you either shiver or sneeze out of nowhere. This chapter was very short, but then again, prologues typically are short (at least mine are, Anrui not included). I hope you enjoyed this teaser. And pay attention to details, I'm foreshadowing like a bitch. Thanks for reading. Constructive criticism, questions, and comments are welcome where as pointless flames are ignored. Sarien-chan, out.


	2. A Cure for Boredom

**Notes: **To clear up something from the last chapter, that wolf was not Kouga. I'm sorry that I didn't make it clear. You'll see who the wolf is in due time. ^__~ This chapter might be confusing if you don't pay attention to the change in point of views. The way I am writing the story is odd in itself because it's from first person to narrative (omnipotent). I'm sorry also, but there is little action in this chapter. It was more to establish the relationship between Makoto and Kagome. Oh! I'm giving too much away. Please read the story whose characters I don't own. There are review shout-outs and a little extra section at the end. My apologies in advance about the bad text formatting.

**Once in a Blue Moon: [1] A Cure for Boredom**

**by Sarien-chan (ChibiSarien@netscape.net)**

_'So cold.'_ I shivered and clutched my small corner of the blanket closer to my body. "Damn, Rei-chan took the blanket again!" This of course wasn't the first time she had stolen the blankets. No, Rei was a repeat offender.   

"I heard that Mako-chan," my friend said sleepily. 

"Well if you heard me then why do you leave me shivering with no blanket?" To that, Rei mumbled something incoherent and returned to her dream where she was probably a J-pop idol. 

Sighing, I looked out the window. There was already a false dawn on the horizon. It looked…odd. Things didn't feel the same, not on the other side of Japan. The water even tasted different, but I guess that's just me.

 "My next boyfriend is going to have to know what the word share means," I muttered then frowned as I realized that nobody was going to want to date the freakishly strong tom girl. 

Depression and boredom aren't a good mixture, but as of late it seems like it is a feeling that I would never get rid of. Things have become boring in the months after we defeated Galaxia. So boring in fact that the other senshi, minus Rei, had signed up for an exchange program in America. I, of course, didn't go because there was the whole airplane issue. I know I'm a coward but I still couldn't force myself to see them off at the airport, too much trauma in that part of my past.

You must be wondering how I ended up here at this shrine since I'm not religious in any sense of the word. Rei just dragged me away from my normal life and brought me along on her visit to a Shinto temple. The Shinto workshop is two months long, and it was the second semester of school already. Rei's ojiisan was planning about retiring and since we're going to graduate in two years, she wants all the Shinto-related experience she could get. That includes trying to beg an extended stay for a short apprenticeship from Higurashi-jiji. 

I glanced at our Sailor V mini-clock. It was 5:30 AM. Minako had given it to me at the going away party. Immediately I felt a twinge of guilt. I didn't even go see them off. Maybe one day I'd get over this fear of heights. A least I have something more important to distract me from such dismal thoughts.

Today is our first day of school. Higurashi-san, the woman whose home we're staying at, enrolled us in the 11th grade at the local high school (though we still were forced to take entrance exams). Higurashi-san says that her daughter goes there, which is strange because I've never seen anybody else here but the genki Souta and the old Shinto priest, Higurashi-jiji.

 "Oh well," I said and gathered my training clothes. 

It was a mystery but the least of my worries. How would T.K. High school treat me? I doubt the rumors would have spread from Azaba Juuban all the way to Tokyo. I'll just have to remember to keep my temper in check. Now that was a task in itself. But I doubt I could take on a gang by myself anymore. I've gotten lazy in the last few months. Now was no time to get out of shape. Who knows what evil might pop up…though Setsuna did told me that there would be no evil in the future. I still don't really trust her powers of prescience. Besides, I don't want to be shamed during my P.E. class on my first day of school….

~---Kagome---~

 Kagome Higurashi jumped as if bitten when her alarm clock rang. She clicked the 'snooze' button and smirked at the kawaii bunny clock. It was a new one. Inuyasha had destroyed her old one on his last visit to her home. "Inuyasha no baka," she whispered fondly. Her heart constricted as she thought about the previous night's events. 

"Kikyou," she whispered. 

She was still shocked that the dead miko didn't make an attempt on her life. After all, they were both stuck in the inside of a giant youkai. But then there was the fact that Kikyou had been injured and unable to escape. You don't kill the only person who could save your life…or corpse at least.

"That's right…I saved her. She barely even acknowledged it too. At least Inuyasha didn't meet her again." She couldn't bare the thought of Kikyou's cold lips on Inuyasha. It evoked several emotions in the miko. Jealousy was the main one, which she immediately denied.

Now was no time to get sentimental over the arrogant hanyou though. Today was Friday and her self appointed guardian, Inuyasha, had decided that she could take a day's break to go back to school. "He still doesn't understand that I have appearances to make. I wonder when grandfather is going to run out of excuses. What was it last time…oh yeah, the bubonic plague!" She chuckled at the memory of Hojo carrying her home because he felt she shouldn't waste her energy. 

"If Inuyasha had seen…why do I care what he thinks? He has Kikyou," she said bitterly. Somewhere inside of the miko was a fondness for the hanyou. "I hope Hojo can take a hint this time. I have to go back to Sengoku Jidai tomorrow and hunt up some more jewel shards. Isn't that all I'm good for? A jewel shard blood hound?" She was ashamed as soon as those words escaped her mouth.  

Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and even Inuyasha, cared about her (in their own way) and had put their lives on the line trying to save her more then once. 

'Will things ever get easier?' she thought as she opened the window. The soft morning light filled the room as she looked at the Go-Shinboku. "What the…"

Down below in the courtyard was a girl practicing kicks and punches. It was almost hypnotic. The girl looked like she knew what she was doing and even resembled an Amazon warrior. But what was the girl doing at the shrine?

"Oh yeah, now I remember. Grandfather was hosting a Shinto workshop. About twenty people are in our guesthouse. Can this girl be a miko? She doesn't seem the type…" Kagome's thoughts were interrupted when her mother called her down for breakfast.

~~~-Makoto-~~~

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and collapsed on the stone bench. Something suddenly sent chills down my spine. I already knew I was being watched by a one of the Higurashi family members, so that couldn't be it.

"What is this strange energy?"

I looked around the empty courtyard. There was nothing there…other then a very large, ancient looking tree. Rei's sixth sense must have rubbed off on me because I could feel waves of lingering emotions from centuries past: Betrayal, Anger, and Death. 

"Mako-chan, come on and get ready, we'll be late for our first day of school!" Rei yelled. I ran back to the guesthouse, giving the suspicious tree a large berth. Memories of previous plant youma made me wary. I didn't want to have to transform in public if it could be avoided.

"Coming Rei-chan!" I answered, deciding not to relay to her what had happened. At least only one of us would be worrying that way. Besides, I would be more then happy to kick some evil butt right now. 

~---Kagome---~

"Kagome-chan! Pay attention," whispered Yuki.

 "Huh?"

"Egami-sensi is explaining the material that will be on the next Geometry test. You've missed last week's lessons on the Trigonometry functions so try to catch up."

Kagome blushed and focused her attention back on the geometry teacher.  Sine and Cosine weren't enough to keep her thoughts from straying towards Sengoku Jidai. The teacher noticed this and was just about to assign the daydreaming girl more work when the classroom door slid open and Nakada Inoue, the school headmistress, walked in. 

The woman took a cursory glance at the students before nodding satisfactorily. She turned and whispered something in the teacher's ear.

Higurashi Kagome tried to make herself as small as possible.

'Oh no! The must have found out why I'm really always absent. I'm going to have to repeat the 11th grade! Please don't let it be for me. Please don't let it be for me.'

While Kagome repeated this mantra in her head, Inoue walked out the room. The teacher looked back at the class as if looking for something. This caused the miko to slide down further in her chair. She gulped. 'He's looking my way.'

To her immense relief, the door slid open again. A girl walked into the classroom. Immediately, she drew the attention of all in the room. She was very pretty. Her chestnut colored hair was up in a ponytail. The girl wore a school uniform that fitted to her well-developed body, making her legs look impossibly long. The only reason the boy's weren't drooling over her was because her expression and body stance said to 'Back off.' 

The girl's stunning emerald eyes scanned the classroom briefly.

"Ah, there you are. Inoue-san told me you would be coming," the teacher turned to the class, "Class 11C, I'd like to introduce you to the newest student. Kino Makoto is from Azaba Juuban and new to Tokyo. Why don't you tell us about yourself?" Egami asked, without much warmth. The teacher hated to be interrupted. Makoto already made her way onto his 'to be watched' list.

Makoto met the teacher's eyes without flinching then turned back to the class. A hesitant smile grew on her lips, making the boys briefly ignore her 'back off' signal. 

"Ano…Watashi wa Kino Makoto. I'm going to be staying in Tokyo for the remainder of this semester and-"

 "Now take your seat," Egami interrupted, "There's an empty one next to Higurashi."

Makoto looked annoyed as she made her way to the only empty seat next to the raven-haired girl. There were a few audible snide remarks from jealous girls, who were promptly quieted by glares from the new girl. She finally made it to her seat and sat down without further mishap. The attention of the male population was once again on their work seeing as the brunet's mask of being "untouchable" was once more on.

The new girl was all but forgotten as Egami continued on with the lesson. Well…all but Kagome forgot her. She kept sneaking sidelong glances at Makoto who was beginning to look frustrated, copying down the foreign language that was math, hurriedly.

'I know that I have seen that girl somewhere…'

Also frustrated, Kagome turned her attention back on the Geometry lesson. 'I should let Inuyasha kill the 'test' for me. [1]' Images of a Chibi Inuyasha chasing her 'spell book' [2] with his Tetsusaiga danced through her mind. She giggled softly.

~------(Makoto)------~ 

I looked at the girl next to me though the corner of my eye. It was faint but I could feel an aura of white magic around her, similar to Rei-chan's power. A miko? With my luck it would be a kuromiko [3]. I could tell this because the senshi of Mars had taught me the basics of chi sensing. It scared me how much untapped magical potential this high school girl had. Strangely though, her aura felt incomplete.

But why was she laughing? Idiots and power don't mix well. She must have been laughing at me. My fists clenched underneath the wooden table.

'Sot the rumors did get this far, huh? As much as I'd like to punch somebody right now, I can't. I must prove them wrong. But first, I have to figure out what the hell this guy's talking about. Cosine? Tangent? What?' Rubbing my temples, I longed for the days when Ami-chan was my tutor.

~-~

The bell rang at the end of the day and several cries of relief could be heard. Mine were among them. I don't know how I made it through the rest of the day. Rei wasn't even in any of my classes. Our lunch schedules weren't even the same. Somebody up there wanted me to be alone forever.

"Oi! Mako-chan! How'd your day go?" Rei asked as I closed my locker door.

"Every one of my teachers are out to get me. I have homework in every single class, P.E. included, and I have to be all caught up by tomorrow. Yup, a normal day," I said sarcastically. "How was yours?"

She grinned. Obviously her day was going well.

"I made it as co-captain of the archery club!" 

"What? But today's your first day!"

"Yeah, I still can't believe it either. We were practicing archery during P.E. After my turn, the teacher pulled me to the side. I thought I was in trouble or something. Apparently Chiso-san is the coach of the girl's archery club and one of their captains moved away. None of the other team members are experienced enough. Can you believe it Mako-chan? Chiso-san thinks I'm good."

I forced a smile. Somebody up there was going all out to make sure I was alone.

"That's great Rei-chan. All those 'Mars Flame Snipers' must have done you some good."

She must not have noticed my false enthusiasm.

"You should join too Mako-chan. Having at least one extra-curricular activity is recommended."

"No thanks. I'll stick to my karate classes. I think I'll go look for a near by dojo right now. You coming?"

Rei stopped walking, we were already at the front gate.

"Gomen, Gomen Mako-chan but practice starts today. The Tokyo archery tournament starts in a month. We have practice every day, even Sundays!"

My face fell as she said this.

"What about your workshop at the shrine?" I asked hopefully.

"I can work around that."

"I see…" 

"Rei-sempai!" a voice called. My friend looked around and spotted a familiar face.

"Gomen Mako-chan. Practice is starting. I promise to make it up to you later. Bai Bai!" With that, the raven-haired girl ran off, leaving me alone.

I sighed and looked up at the cloudy skies. It was already 5:00. Maybe I'll try looking for the dojo on Sunday. Giving my new school a last look, I walked towards the gate.

~-----(Kagome)----~

"Hojo-kun…really, it's too much," said Kagome Higurashi as she attempted to collect her school bags from the ever so genki boy.

"Nonsense Higurashi-chan. With your anemia, you shouldn't over exert yourself," he said with a big smile. 

'I'm going to kill ojiisan when I get home…I could have sworn we've used that excuse already. And still, Hojo can't seem to take a hint either. He's very sweet though…unlike some arrogant boy I know.'

Kagome plastered a big smile on her face. "Ano…Hojo-kun, I feel better now. The medicine just kicked in." She took her book bag back from the boy, who didn't look one bit abashed.

"At least let me escort you home Higurashi-san. It's not safe for a female to be alone in the evening," he implored.

'Inuyasha might be thick headed but he's very overprotective and if he finds Hojo's scent on me…' Kagome looked around frantically for a way out of this new predicament. The school lawns were almost empty…almost.

A tall, forlorn looking brunet was walking slowly towards the school gate. And as if feeling the young miko's gaze on her, the brunet turned around. Their eyes locked briefly and Kagome shuddered. She could sense power coming off this girl in waves…but they weren't in Sengoku Jidai where someone with that kind of aura would be a youkai. She shrugged it off as paranoia.

'Kino-san…she looks so alone. Ah! Maybe I can walk her home, getting rid of Hojo too. She looks like she can beat even Hojo up. He can't say that I'm not protected,' she thought triumphantly. 

"Hojo-kun, sumimasen. I forgot that I was meeting Kino-san here after school. She can walk me home. Arigato…for thinking about my health. Ja ne!" 

Before the boy could protest, the girl was off.

----~(Makoto)~----

'Why does she keep looking at me? Is there something on my face? Poor girl though. She doesn't really look like she wants to talk to that boy. I can't blame her though. From what I've seen, he's too nice for his own good. There should be laws about being that nice.'

'These people are weird. Maybe it's the air.'

I switched my book bag to my other hand as I walked out the gate. All of my new books were heavy. Nothing the senshi of Jupiter couldn't handle.

"Kino-san! Kino-san!" a familiar voice called. 

I spun around and saw the girl with the wandering eyes standing there. My skills must be getting dull. I didn't even notice her approach.

"Kino-san I-"

"Call me Makoto or Mako-chan," I interrupted, unused to honorifics.

"Erm…Mako-chan. May I walk home with you? I only live a couple blocks away," she said shyly.

I suspected some ulterior motives but then again, I wanted to ask her some questions.

"Sure…Kagome-chan." She smiled and followed me.

~----~

"Why do you want to walk home with me? Aren't you scared that the new tom girl is going to beat you up?" I asked bluntly.

She looked genuinely puzzled. "You wouldn't have hurt me Mako-chan," she said simply, "Hojo-kun was very insistent about me not walking home alone."

"I can't say I'm jealous. Is he your boyfriend or something?"

"Who? Hojo-kun? No, he's just a friend though Inuyasha doesn't even want him even as that. I swear, he just doesn't know when to stop," she paused and blushed, "I'm babbling, huh?"

"It's okay. I do that too sometimes. Who is he though? He sounds like an overprotective boyfriend. He's not violent, is he? If he is then I'll just have to show him not to mess with innocent girls," I said, clenching my fists. Being with Freddy taught me not to hate boys like him.

Kagome laughed nervously. "He's not exactly my boyfriend. He's just a violent, overprotective…friend," she added lamely. "He won't hurt me so don't worry Makoto. He's really just one big puppy underneath it all." Then, for some reason, she laughed. It must have been some joke she was looking back at. Still, I didn't really believe her. But I don't have much right to question a girl I just met about her personal life. 

"Kagome-san, why-" This time she was the one to interrupt me. 

"Call me Kagome-chan or just Kagome. All of my friends do."

"Right Kagome. Why were you staring at me?"

"You, er, noticed that? It's just that you remind me of a girl I saw this morning at the shrine." My eyes widened at this unexpected response.

"That's because I was that girl. You must be the Higurashi daughter your okaasan told me about. I never saw you when I arrived. It's like you were in another dimension all together."

She hiccupped…and hiccupped…I had to pat her back until they subsided.

"Are you a miko?" she asked quickly.

This aroused my suspicions. 'From what I felt earlier, this girl can be the strongest miko I felt, Rei included. Can't she sense these things? Is she trying to play stupid?' I thought.

"I don't have an ounce of white magic in me. I'm staying at your shrine because Rei-chan wouldn't come alone. The rest of our friends are in a foreign exchange program so I had nothing else to do. I also heard that they have some good dojos here in Tokyo."

"I see. Maybe I can show you around then. I don't know any dojos since I'm not a fighter."

I smiled. She didn't seem evil. Of course, Nephrite seemed perfectly human, just one who happened to have a lot of power and worked for Beryl.  

"Sure, I'd like that a lot. Now, where's the shrine again?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly. We had covered four blocks and I didn't recall any of these buildings. Then again, I wouldn't since this morning I was too nervous and anxious to pay much attention.

"Ano…Makoto, it's right behind you," she said while giggled. My cheeks were burning with embarrassment. How could I have missed the giant gates? My senses really were shot.

-----~(Kagome)~-----

Dinner was a noisy affair. The dining room was filled with hungry Shinto priests and priestesses. Kagome knew it must have been expensive. It was a good thing that everybody had paid for meals in advance and was staying in the guesthouse, not the small main house. The shrine wasn't exactly a large source of income.

Kagome was thankful to get out of there early. She knew that she couldn't stay even if she had wanted to. Inuyasha would come looking for her and he didn't know about the workshop. Half of them would notice his presence and join her ojiisan in throwing ineffective talismans at the hanyou…not that it wouldn't be an interesting scenario.

She raced up the stairs, taking two of them at a time. By the time she got to the top, she was out of breath. The girl knew she didn't have time stop.

After opening her room door, she ran in hurriedly, and shut the door behind herself. Finally she felt she could relax for a minute and possibly catch her breath. But the fates seemed to be against her as she turned and found herself locking gazes with a pair of familiar amber eyes.

"Oi, bitch. What took you so long?"

Well, she could always rest later.

"Did you bring the Ramen?" Typical Inuyasha, always thinking of his stomach first.

'How dare he just break into my room and demand food after all I went through to get here on time!'

"In-u-ya-sha," Kagome said through clenched teeth. The hanyou braced himself. He knew what was coming by the tone in her voice and the fire in her eyes, though he didn't know what he did to deserve it this time.

"Osuwari!" *thump*

~------(Makoto)-----~

I was halfway through the second verse of the Sailor V song (which I was mentally singing out of boredom) when I heard a soft thud coming from upstairs. Looking around, it became clear that nobody else noticed, so deep were they in their philosophical debates. Rei seemed to be arguing with Higurashi-jiji about the Western influence on the Shinto style architecture. 

It was better not to interrupt so I slipped out the room quietly and walked up the stairs.

'I could have sworn the sound came from upstairs…but from which room?"

"Bitch! Do you want me to break my back?" a gruff masculine voice asked. The sound was coming from the door to my right.

"Osuwari!" Kagome yelled back. There was another loud thud followed by a lot of cursing. 

'Go Kagome! She must have hit that boy back…wait, boy? What's a boy doing in her room this time of night?' she wondered, pressing her ear to the keyhole.

"Inuyasha! I have a name. Use it!" hissed Kagome. By the tone of her voice, she was annoyed with this boy. Obviously this had happened before.

"Keh!" he responded.

'This must be the same violent not-boyfriend she was talking about earlier.'

"Come on wench. Kaede-baba says there some rumors of a human with a Shikon no Kakera in a village by home," he said.

"A…human?" she asked, clearly surprised. 

"Yeah, wench, are you deaf or something? Maybe if we hurry and get the shard, we can have time to find that bastard Naraku. Now get on!" Some shuffling could be heard after Inuyasha's speech.

"Inuyasha!" she shrieked. 

My indecision was over at the sound of my new friend in trouble. I threw open the door, hoping to make a heroic rescue and maybe beat up this 'Inuyasha'. But there was nobody in the room. It just didn't make sense. Unless he was evil and took her through a portal, the only other exit was a window that happened to be wide open. I ran to that window and looked out. 

There was some movement in the far side of the shrine grounds. I could have sworn I saw a flash of red and white over there. But I must have blinked or imagined it because it was gone.

"Well, there's only one way to find out what happened." I jumped out of the second-story window, rather gracefully I might add, for all that I haven't trained in months. I ran as soon as my feet touched the ground, towards a small edifice where the red and white thing disappeared.

As I approached I noticed that it was some sort of wooden storehouse. The door was still open. Things were just getting more interesting by the second.

The inside of the storehouse was eerily dark, illuminated only by the light of the full moon. From what I could tell, it was mostly empty.

"Ka-go-me?" I called out. There was no answer.

A 17-year-old girl just doesn't disappear into thin air…unless Inuyasha was working for the dark side and really did take her through some portal. My instincts weren't betting on that however. I knew there was some perfectly logical explanation.  

"I said I was bored and I get a mystery," I mumbled as I climbed down the stairs to the lower portion of the storehouse. 

"Is that a well? What is a well doing here? Ahhhh!" I shrieked. My foot had landed on something soft and furry. This soft and furry woodland creature had claws. I could tell as they raked my bare legs. My old white and brown school uniform wasn't much in the way of protection.

The contact caught me unprepared. I tumbled down the last stair…and into the strange well.

'Damn neko!' was all I thought as my forehead connected with a loose stone. I was unconscious before I reached the bottom.

**[OWARI CHAPTER ONE]**

**[1]** I remember from the anime that Inu-chan offered to kill Kagome's tests. Very cute.

**[2] **Inuyasha referred to Kagome's Geometry book as a spell book (unless I'm getting confused with fanfics again -__-)

**[3] **A miko is a white magic user so a kuromiko is a black magic user. Remember that old kuromiko Inuyasha & company encountered?

**[4] **Anybody know Freddy's Japanese name?

**[5] **I know in the anime, Inuyasha called Kagome 'wench' (though there were a couple "b's") but for the purposes of adding to Makoto's dislike of him, she'll be called both. They'll make up eventually.

**[-] **Some translations…neko (cat), ano (hmm…), Higurashi-jiji (grandfather Higurashi…not too sure about this one), Watashi wa (I'm…), Gomen (sorry), Sempai (read Makoto Almasy's Ah! My Sempai for this one ^__~), sumimasen (I'm really sorry), Ja ne (later), Shikon no Kakera (jewel shard), Shikon no Tama (Jewel of four souls) 

**Notes:** That wasn't that big of a cliffhanger. Consider yourselves lucky. ^__^ About the honorifics used, I was watching Furuba when I wrote it and all of Tohru saying Souma-kun really rubbed off. There won't be many because in the Sengoku Jidai they weren't too formal with each other. I also doubt I'll be using many more Japanese words. 

**Favorite line/scene/quote: **- He knew what was coming by the tone in her voice and the fire in her eyes, though he didn't know what he did to earn it.- [Silly thick headed hanyou]

-Images of a Chibi Inuyasha chasing her 'spell book' with his Tetsuiga danced through her mind -[cute]

I got the idea to do this from Silver (who wrote a wonderful Rurouni Kenshin story). I have low self esteem so this should help. You'll be seeing it every chapter.

**To Girl-chama:** You don't know what an honor it is to have you reviewing this story. You and a couple other authors were my idols when I first clicked into the crossovers section. I'm glad you enjoyed this and noticed my improvement (though my grammar wasn't too good in this chapter). A year can do wonders for most people. The wolf wasn't Kouga but you've caught on to my "insidious plot." Ayame will be a slight problem, and I forgot about her. It won't be too hard to work her in. She'll show up for conflict. Oh, how I enjoy toying with my characters. *evil laughter* And don't worry, reviews like this are helpful.

**To Vash-chan: **Anipike is a life saver for me when reading a lot of this new fanfiction. Lately I've been getting the shivers too. The couple is fairly obvious but that wolf from before wasn't Kouga. It's an original character. But keep your musings on the hush, you're found me out.

**To all reviewers: **Thank you for reviewing. I means a lot to me, if only to inform me that people actually read this. You guys are going to make my ego grow even larger then it already is!


	3. Cold Season

**Notes:** I'm not sure if the summary is working. When ever I saved it, it refreshed and was blank. Grrrr. Anywho, I hope you like this chapter. The past two were edited for minor mistakes and the white wolf is now male, I planned to leave it sexless but for the purposes of this chapter, it's male (you'll see). Translations from now on will be listed at the beginning of each chapter for your convenience. After this one, I'll only list new words (though I doubt there will be any more). I only listed the ones that don't have context clues. Tell me if I should list all of them or not use them at all. My authors notes are long as it is -___-

**Translations: **Inu-koro [dog-shit/dog-turd], ecchi [lewd/indecent], shoji [sliding wood and paper door], ouhi [queen], toguu [crown prince], otousan [father], tajiya [exterminator], koiishi [beloved], kitsune [fox]

**Disclaimer: **Though I own many Inuyasha plushies (can't find one of Bankotsu yet), I don't own Inuyasha. What I do own is the plot, Sayo, the white wolf, and Nekori. 

**Once in a Blue Moon: [2] Cold Season**

**By Sarien-chan (ChibiSarien@netscape.net)**

The white wolf paced in the cover of the trees. He was lucky that it was already January. Winter brought snow and gave the lighter colored animals protection, not that the wolf needed it. His diamond strong teeth, powerful jaws, and razor sharp claws effectively kept would be predators at bay.

Still, the wolf kept to the shadows. He knew that discovery by animals and lesser youkai weren't dangerous, so much as humans and more hostile youkai. The scent of an Inu youkai, possibly a hanyou, filled the clearing below. A fight now would just delay the search for answers.

His sensitive ears twitched, feeling the wind shift. Turning its nose to the air, he sniffed. A sixth sense confirmed the feeling that something was coming. Tri-colored irises turned towards the well at the center of the clearing and waited.

A fumbling sound followed by some cursing could be heard from the direction of the well. Two figures struggled out of the abandoned well. One was the source of the Inu-scent, the other smelled faintly of his query. _She's not the one. _The expression of the wolf could have been mistaken for human disappointment and was not helped by the human like sigh that followed.

The wolf gave a barely audible growl as it surveyed the girl. She smelled faintly of Makoto, as if she'd come in contact with the hime recently. The girl also radiated white magic with hidden reserves she probably didn't know about. It took a great deal of restraint for the wolf to prevent himself from attacking that girl then and there; taking revenge that was long over due. His feelings were understandable seeing as many of her kind had imprisoned him a millennium past.

 _This kit is too young to be one of _them.

He could have sworn that the young miko sensed his presence as she scanned the area. There was a sense of relief as the girl climbed onto the back of the hanyou, and went at full speed in the opposite direction. 

Immediately a strange sense of anticipation filled the white creature, for he could not truly be defined as a wolf (though it had the appearance of one), nor could he be defined as a youkai. 

But there was no mistaking the earthy scent in the air. _Makoto-hime. _The metallic tang of blood in the air disturbed him. Added to that, there was no further movement from the well…no signs of the occupant making any attempt to leave. 

Alarmed, he ran at full speed towards the well, which he knew was no ordinary one. The well thankfully wasn't deep so the end came into view easily. There, at the well's bottom, was the girl Makoto.

She was the one who's blood called to his very own. And there she lay, unconscious yet alive, in a small pool of her own blood. A whisper at the back of his mind reminded him that with memories, she could be saved. As luck would have it, the wolf remembered nothing, not even his own name or origin. None of that would help the hime now. 

The agony and guilt of not being able to help her tore through the white wolf and was expressed in a howl. At that moment he knew that recovering his memories wasn't significant compared to protecting this girl at all costs, which was his new life mission. But without human hands, he could never hope to retrieve her. 

-^-^-^-^-^-(Less then a mile away…)^-^-^-^-^-

"Inu-koro," a young man snarled, catching the scent of his rival in the air. 

He was setting a leisurely pace through the forest (though some would differ), only stopping briefly to get his bearings. It was dark but the half moon was already out, not that it would dampen the boy's senses or spirits for that matter. Kagome was near by and he felt energetic. All thoughts of his self-imposed mission, taking revenge upon Naraku, all but vanished from his mind. 

His blue eyes widened slightly as he sniffed the air. If he had been a true wolf, his fur would have bristled, for the scent was very unwanted. It wasn't Inu-koro, the kitsune, or even any other breed of youkai he was familiar with.

"Kuso!" the black haired youkai cursed. He recognized the scent now. A wolf in its prime was on his territory. But that was not too unusual. It was the scent of human blood mingled with that of the wolf that bothered him.

"I guess it's up to me to show this guest out and maybe save the poor human. Hopefully, it's not dead yet. If the villagers find out, they'll put the blame on the yorozoku tribe. Kagome wouldn't like that. Might as well have fun showing this wolf off."

He smiled arrogantly, baring sharp fangs, yet something concerned him about the wolf scent. It smelled like a wolf but something about it seemed…unnatural.

The yorozoku cracked his knuckles, trying not to worry about it but failing as he resumed his pace. Of course, the two Shikon no Kakera in his legs gave him a boosted speed, causing him to leave a trail of dust in his wake. 

Cries of "Kouga slow down!" could be heard in the distance from two other youkai, which were joined from tired barks from several wolves. 

Kouga, the pack leader, didn't pay any heed to the voices. The prospects of a battle and this curious scent spurred him on. 

~------(Kagome)------~

"I could have sworn that I felt the Shikon no Kakera coming from this village. But…its vanished," the raven haired miko said, her brows furrowed in confusion. Unless the girl's powers had faded, there was no way she could be wrong. Then again, the village was deserted and looked like it had been that way for many years. Many things could have occurred in the time it took them to arrive.

The white haired hanyou sneezed. "Don't look at me like that Kagome. I said I'm fine," he said. Kagome frowned. 'That's what he said the last two times. Stubborn Inuyasha. He just doesn't want to admit that he could have a cold.' She sighed and looked once more at the empty village around them.

"Are you sure you guided us in the right direction Kagome-sama?" a man dressed in traditional Buddhist monk clothes asked, inching ever so closer to 'Kagome-sama.' But before his roaming hands could do any mischief to her lower extremities, a giant boomerang made out of youkai bone knocked him hard on the head. 

"Hentai!" exclaimed a girl who was currently dressed in a body fitting black and pink youkai hunting outfit. The young woman was also the owner of the boomerang, which she held while glaring at the priest, her left eye twitching.

"Sango, these hands are possessed," the priest said, feigning innocence. Nobody in the group was fooled. This behavior was as commonplace as Inuyasha's cursing or the small kitsune youkai's love of sweets. That didn't mean that Sango had to like it.    

"Do you want me to cut those hands off for you, Miroku? Keep your damn hands to yourself," he threatened.

"Inuyasha be quiet or I'll make you! Kagome's trying to concentrate!" pleaded a small energetic kitsune youkai. It looked silly threatening the hanyou who was more then triple his size and completely out of his league. Kagome, his "adopted mother", would put Inuyasha in his place though. One good 'osuwari' would quiet him down. The little boy would just have to make sure to stay away from him for a while if he wanted to avoid a strong, arrogant hanyou with a grudge. It wasn't the kitsune's fault that Kagome liked him better then the hanyou.

"Shippou, you little runt." The white haired boy cracked his knuckles and glared menacingly at the young kitsune who promptly cried "Kagome" and hid behind her legs. She broke her concentration and turned to the group, holding the kit in her arms, while the hanyou growled in what the kitsune assumed was jealousy. Shippou blew a raspberry at him.

Kagome wasn't paying any attention at all to this. "Ano…Miroku…do you sense something wrong about this village, other that it's deserted? I feel something that's not the Shikon no Kakera but…" she trailed off.

Miroku's expression sobered as she closed his eyes and concentrated. It seemed that the little village wasn't as deserted as they thought for the monk could sense another human presence though no other youkai. Could there possibly be any villagers left? The monk's hunch was confirmed as the sound of footsteps was heard. 

Inuyasha was immediately alert, not even relaxing when the owner of the footfalls turned out to be a young human girl. He still sniffed the air for good measure. She didn't smell like a youkai, nor was Naraku's taint anywhere on her. One couldn't be too cautious…

Miroku on the other hand was really starting to believe that today was his lucky day, despite an inauspicious start. Black eyes roved over the body of the girl, which he assumed to be about seventeen. She was far from plain. With curves in the right places, perfect red lips, silky black hair, and the most innocent brown eyes, what man could resist? 

Amber eyes surveyed the situation wearily, and gave a warning growl that she should come no closer.

Ok, so maybe Inuyasha was immune. The monk certainly wasn't, but kept his façade innocent, though the thoughts whirling through his heads were far from that and most definitely ecchi. Obviously this girl was lonely, living in an isolated village and all. Miroku chivalrously took it upon himself to fix that. He didn't stop to consider why she was the only one in the village as he took hold of the now startled girl's hands

"Will you bear my-" he couldn't finish his well-worn lines as Sango took the initiative and elbowed him in the gut. 

"Do you need any help? You look pale…" Kagome started.

"Who are you working for and why are you here alone?" demanded Inuyasha. The girl burst into tears at this verbal attack, puzzling everybody. "**Baka**! You made her cry!" Kagome gently took the girl by the hand, "we can't help you unless we know what's wrong with you." 

The girl wiped her tears with the fold of her kimono and looked up. "Wa…**watashi wa** Egami Sayo." Saying her name seemed to take a lot of effort for the girl, for she immediately began to cry again. Kagome patted the girl's back and looked helplessly at the others. It seems like it would be awhile before they got any useful information out of her. 

**---~(**Kouga**)~---**

It was a high offence in youkai wolf society to trespass on another pack's territory without permission from the Alpha male, in this case Kouga. There had been no incursions by unfamiliar yorozoku in decades with the fierce reputation of the western yorozoku tribe. With Kagome's arrival and new position as potential Alpha female (though unwilling), they stopped killing humans. That there was a human probably already dead and the scent of an enemy wolf in the air…

'Maybe that's why this is happening now,' Kouga speculated as he continued blazing a trail through the thick forest. He was following the wolf scent since there weren't any tracks to be found, another thing that struck him as odd. But he ignored the little voice in the back of his mind that was telling him something was wrong, especially when Kagome's scent was now in the air. 

Her scent was about an hour old. 'Inu-koro did something right for a change, taking Kagome away from the danger. Still, she would have been safer with me. We'll have to talk about her moving into the den later.'

Kouga stopped at the edge of a clearing, fangs peeking out in a smirk. All of his senses were at their peek and he still had the two Shikon no Kakera embedded in his legs. The enemy wolf would not escape.

He stepped cautiously into the clearing, careful to stay upwind of it. There was nothing special about the clearing, just an old well and a giant tree that gave him the shivers. It was too quiet…

**---~----**

The white wolf watched the strange male youkai from behind a tree. His muscles were quivering with suppressed energy, waiting for the right moment to attack and release it on the unlucky youkai. He didn't know why he hesitated. Maybe it was because the youkai was an Alpha male…maybe it was because he had opposable thumbs. He didn't want to admit to himself that this young yorozoku could do something he could not, move the hime out of the well. 

So he waited and watched as the youkai peered down the well and began to curse. _He doesn't look like he wants to eat her._ Still, the white wolf remained ready to kill the yorozoku at a moment's notice.

To his surprise the youkai jumped down the well and emerged with the hime in his arms, a thoughtful look on his face as he set her down.

Both the yorozoku and the white wolf were examining the girl with equal interest. For the youkai, it was curiosity at the head wound she had received, most likely from falling down the well. For the white wolf it was surprise. He never pictured that human as his glorious hime. 

Her strange white and brown fuku was dirty and ripped from the fall. There were long claw marks on her legs that were bleeding sluggishly as well as a long gash on her skull and bruise at her temple, which appeared to be why she was unconscious.She looked like a doll that somebody abused and tossed aside. Anger filled the white wolf. Whatever caused her pain would die and since there wasn't anybody around but the youkai…

He stalked towards the youkai, with a stealth that was unique to his not wolf not youkai form let his instincts take control then lunged for the youkai's throat.

-**--~(**Kouga**)~---**

The girl's appearance unnerved him. It wasn't just the state she was in but the aura she radiated. 'Nature…' Kouga had no time to examine her further as the wind changed in direction, alerting him to the presence of the enemy wolf. He barely had time to dodge, so settled for using his arm to knock the wolf back.

It worked; the wolf was pushed back several feet. But that wasn't enough. 

"Kuso! I have things to do, I don't have time to play!" 

Kouga dodged lunges and sharp claws that would decapitate him if he let his guard down. Anger got the better of the yorozoku. He found an opening before the wolf lunged in with his sharp teeth and kicked the wolf. It flew a couple of feet into the cover of the forest.

All was quiet…Kouga knew that his attack was not enough to keep a dominant wolf down. He was right. Kouga heard the tell tale signs of an impending attack; the rattle of tree branches wouldn't have been heard by a human. His pointed youkai ears picked it up. He readied himself.

The white wolf did an incredible leap from the top of a tree branch to his right. He did a midair kick, intercepting the attack and knocking the wolf into a nearby tree with a sickening crack…it didn't get back up.

"Not even worth my time," Kouga said arrogantly. He walked back to the well near the girl. "Baka onna, must have fallen in…she smells like Kagome and Kagome would probably want to see her. It can't be far to where ever the hell Inu-koro has taken her…" 

He thought about leaving her but if Kagome found out… "What I do for Kagome," he muttered as he picked her up. For a second he just studied face. A part of him wondered what color her eyes were. He could sense the muscles under his hands. The girl was a fighter -that much was obvious yet her scent still puzzled him. It was like smelling the forest after the morning dew.

"Keh! I'm getting all poetic now. Must be because Kagome is nearby. Well, the sooner I drop the her off, the sooner I can take Kagome away from that baka." 

The yorozoku adjusted his grip so that he was now carrying her bridal style, so as not to further injure her, and was off. His speed was cut in half by the new weight. Still, he would get to Kagome within a half-hour even with the girl.

**~---(**Dream: Makoto**)---~**

A woman paced the length of a short rug, occasionally pulling at her brown locks or smoothing invisible wrinkles from her green kimono in an attempt to suppress obvious frustration and anger.

I wondered what she could be thinking about that could make her so angry. Heck, I even asked…but she didn't look, at me, or even acknowledge my presence, which bothered me a lot somehow. It wasn't until my hands passed through her body that I realized that this was a dream.

Sighing, I stepped back and decided to let the dream play out, studying the woman until the shoji would slide open, and the dream really began.

The woman was about twentyish but since I count a time guardian among my closest friends, she may very well be a century old. She was about half a foot shorter then my 5'6" but that didn't make her any less imposing, though the laugh lines around her mouth softened that effect. The expensive looking green kimono she wore (patterned with lilies), along with a silver circlet on her brow, proclaimed her some sort of royalty, a hime if not ouhi.

Something still bothered me about her aura. It reminded me of ancient forests, serene and untouched by man. She turned and looked at the double doors behind me. I saw her eyes. They were a deep green. As I stared into them I knew there was something powerful and ancient lurking just beneath the surface. 

She turned and looked at the shoji, as if anticipating somebody's arrival. I couldn't turn away from her eyes and paid for it as anger filled them. It suddenly smelled like roses…

All of that emotion crashed into me. I felt like somebody had done an "oak evolution" on me, and then dropped a mountain for good measure. It was as if my powers of nature had been turned against me. My senshi attacks were like a sapling compared to this Sequoia.

Then I knew…this woman didn't channel nature like I did…she _was_ nature.

'Oh Kami-sama,' I thought while gasping for air. Sometime during all this, I had sunk to my knees, the spell broken. 'But she wasn't even doing anything on purpose! Her eyes weren't even directly on my but at the shoji!' I shuddered at the implications of that thought. 'If she does really want to hurt somebody…' But something told me that she was gentle more often then not, comforting even. A warm shoulder to cry on. Of course that's probably our elemental link talking.

While I was recovering from this newest revelation, I had missed some dialogue.

"-But Hani-koi," the newcomer started. He was a tall man with the build of a warrior, dressed in a red haori [1]. What's more is that he had claws…long deadly looking ones at that. I don't know what color his hair was or what color eyes he had. I learned my lesson the first time when I looked into this "Hani's" eyes. Whatever man that would dare call this woman "koi" and be on the receiving end of the fury in those emerald eyes and not be whimpering on the floor had to be at _least _on par with Hani's power. If those dangerous claws were a testament to anything…he could handle his own.

I'm definitely not going to look into those eyes and find myself going though that ordeal again (or worse), no thank you!' Instead, I kept my gaze at the silver pendant at his neck on which hung a lightning bolt, superimposed over a small drum. 

"Don't give me that 'Hani-koi!' I'm mad at you Rai-_ko_i," she mimicked his rough voice on the honorific. "You deserve every minute of it!" she continued in a scary calm in a voice that brought to mind swaying trees.

'What could this Rai have done to piss her off?' I wondered, suddenly sympathetic for the man with the lightning pendant. After all, anybody who likes electricity can't be that bad, ne?

"I did it for your own good Hani-koi. Okuni-kun is the best healer on Saturn and they're known for healing and…" he stopped. "Death," whispered the woman. "He's the touguu of Saturn, koishii, and he is the best for this job…you haven't talked to him for ages you know…he wants to help you," Rai said in a in his rough voice which was surprisingly gentle. It made me want to look into his eyes and see what kind of person he really was. Like Minako says, "Eyes are the doors to your heart." 

I reminded myself of what happened the last time and kept my eyes glued on the pendant. 

"I am not sick baka and you know it…I'm pregnant," she added softly.

"I know koishii…that's what I was afraid of. Hani-koi, you can't do this again. You know what you have to do, right?" he asked in a pained voice.

I risked a look at her face. The anger had left her features, replaced with a river of sorrow and regret. I looked away before her eyes could entrap me again. 

Rai wrapped his strong hands gently around Hani. "I can't bear it again," she whispered into the folds of his haori, voice filled with sadness.

Something wet dripped down my chin. It took me a minute to realize that I was crying. Thankfully the dream dissolved and I drifted off into a deeper sleep, uninterrupted by further dreams. 

~---(Kagome)---~

"Gomen minna, I'll be back in a minute with tea. You all look like you could do with something warm inside," Sayo said and hurried out of the small headman's hut. Nobody had occupied the hut in at least a year so they weren't imposing on anybody.

The group exchanged glances. Egami Sayo had just given them her sad story. 

"I don't buy it," Inuyasha said simply just before sneezing. His watery eyes just dared somebody to comment.

"What part of it?" Sango asked cautiously since Inuyasha looked very angry.

"The villagers here chased her out when she was ten because she was a bastard, her father was a mercenary who knocked up her mother on a raid. They were scared he would come back for her. That, I buy. What I don't is that she came here yesterday, all the way from China, for the first time in nine years and found an empty village. She claims that they died of a plague…there are no bodies. And even if there was a plague, there's no sign of anybody leaving in a hurry."

"I don't sense a Shikon no Kakera nearby. You're just being paranoid Inuyasha," Kagome rolled her eyes. 

"Maybe he is right," Miroku said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Not you too!" Kagome said, irritation all over her features. 

"She's very beautiful, I admit…a little bit flat in the chest. Ow, Sango! I was joking. You know I only have eyes for your chest," the monk said, rubbing his newly sore cheek. The sound of grinding teeth could be heard. "But she smells like Inoue's blue butterfly fragrance #3."

Miroku received several blank stares. "It's a perfume that a…erm, geisha makes for her fellow…friends," he finished lamely. 

"Houshi-sama, what does that have to do with the present situation?" the youkai tajiyaasked, not meeting the monk's eyes.

"It's a unique fragrance. Inoue is the only person who makes it and she lives on the other side of Japan, nowhere near China. Sayo says she grew up there so there's little chance that she has met Inoue. Besides, Inoue only makes it for special friends and I recall Sayo saying that she has worked as a servant in a distant relative's inn her whole life. 

"You were actually listening to her Miroku? It looked like you were looking at her-" the kitsune stopped at a glare from the monk that promised a considerable amount of pain should he continue.

"Suppose you're right and she's lying, what do we do?" Kagome asked. Her question remained unanswered as Sayo returned with a tray of small teacups.

"It took me a while to find the tea in my packs. I thought you might like it since it's cold," she said with a small unsure smile.

"Arigato, Sayo-san," Sango said and took the cup that was offered to her. It was getting colder outside and had snowed the night before so any warmth was welcome. Shippou and Kirara were making short work of the servings they were given. Miroku sipped his gratefully as he watched Sayo bend down over to give the sitting Inuyasha a cup.

"Sumimasen Kagome-san. It seems that I am a glass short. I will bring it right away," Sayo said and rushed out of the door.

The miko looked over at the others. All of them were sipping contentedly at the tea, though Inuyasha complained that it tasted "a little better then piss." He drank it anyway for he was beginning to feel the chill and regret giving his haori to Kagome. 

'I guess I can't complain about anything. Sayo was kind enough to bring us tea,' she thought. 

The kitsune yawned. "It's not even afternoon yet and I feel so," here he yawned again, "sleepy." Shippou fell back against Kirara, asleep before he fell. The neko youkai soon gave a purr and followed his example.

"Shippou! Kirara! Sango, what's wrong with them?" Kagome exclaimed while she tried to shake an unresponsive kitsune awake. She looked over at the youkai tajiya and realized why she had gotten no response. Sango was asleep, sprawled on the wooden floor.

Kagome looked over at Miroku but he was curled up in a ball on the floor. No amount of prodding would wake him up. 

"Inuyasha, why is everybody acting this way? Oh no…Sayo must have slipped something into your drinks!"

"Keh! They should have known not to drink the tea," Inuyasha said while standing up and drawing the now transformed Tetsusaiga. He sniffed, his face looking like he was trying not to sneeze.

"But you drank it too!" Kagome retorted.

"Erm…I'm Inuyasha. Like I'd fall asleep because of some stupid human potion," he said in his usual arrogant tone. "We have to go ask this Sayo some questions," Inuyasha yawned. "Then we better-" the Tetsusaiga clattered to the floor and reverted to the rusty katana form. Inuyasha soon followed.

Kagome was immediately at his side. "Inuyasha! Inuyasha! Wake up! Inuyasha!" she cried. But it was no use. All her friends had fallen victim to a strong sleep potion. 'It's my fault…I didn't think that Sayo could do such a thing…wait, where is Sayo?'

"That was too easy!" exclaimed a familiar voice giddily. Kagome looked at the newcomer and her eyes instantly hardened. "Why, Sayo? Why?" she asked sadly.

"Why? Why do the seasons change? Why does the sun always come up? Why do we have to die? There are a lot of 'why's' Kagome-chan," Sayo said, absently twirling a black strand of hair around her finger. 

Kagome dove for her bow and arrows but Sayo beat her to it. "We can't have that. The mistress said to bring you and your Shikon no Kakera only," said the taller girl cheerfully, dangling the bow just out of Kagome's reach.

"You're not taking me that easily!" Kagome prepared to tackle the older girl. 

"You wouldn't want to do that Kagome-chan," Sayo pulled out a long hunter's knife from the folds of her kimono, "It's belonged to my otousan once, you know. The villagers found it in the body of the previous chief after our village was raided. This of course was before I was born…never did know why mother kept it. I think she left it for me, before _they _killed her."

Kagome looked around the room frantically now for a weapon. The other girl noticed her efforts and her smile faltered slightly. 

"The past is the past, Kagome-chan. The mistress isn't expecting us for a while yet. I never thought it would be this easy. But the potion the mistress gave me worked rather fast. I admit, I was concerned about the youkai but _she _said it was a special potion that she made herself and worked on youkai…though your hanyou friend lasted longer then I expected, longer then the true youkai even. I almost thought I didn't slip enough in his drink. He fell asleep too…that's what you can expect from a weak half-breed," Sayo said, with a glance at the sleeping Inuyasha.

"He is not weak!" yelled Kagome. To Sayo's surprise, the girl pushed her to the floor and ran out of the open door.

'I did it! But now what do I do?' she thought while running. Kagome risked a look back and saw Sayo standing there with a triumphant smile on her lips. "Kagome-chan, that wasn't very smart of you," she called after the running girl. 'What is she…'

The girl stopped running. There was no way she could continue, what with a hoard of bees in front of her. They were extremely large bees, each the size of her head, with poisonous stingers to boot. 

"Saimyoushou [2]," whispered Kagome. 

What's more is that they served as the eyes and ears of the elusive Naraku, their enemy. And where there's smoke, there's fire. 

'If they're here then that means that Naraku has something to do with this. Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kirara…they can't help me now.'

"Don't poison the meat you bugs! The mistress needs a snack after resting for so long. And when she gets the Shikon no Kakera, she can come get the rest of her meal. And no you may not have the Shikon no Kakera. It would be much more satisfying if she brought them to Nekori-sama herself then the mistress could feed. Better her then me at least," Sayo said conversationally to the Saimyoushou. They seemed to understand as they immediately flew off.    

She turned back to Kagome. "Where were we Kagome-chan? Ah, yes," she switched the knife to her other hand, "Start walking. It's about two miles away and I want to get there before noon."

'So that's why I sensed a Shikon no Kakera near here. The youkai must have visited here then moved out of the range of my senses,' she mused while looking back at the hut, still not believing things were ending this way.

A cold metallic object pressed against the back of her neck. "March, Kagome-chan," Sayo said in that happy voice that was beginning to irk the young miko. 'Inuyasha, please hurry and wake up. I don't want to be eaten!'

~----(Kouga)----~

Kouga walked cautiously through a village, his tail moving from side to side, betraying his anxiety at being in a human habitation. It was abandoned and nobody would panic over the appearance of a yorozoku, but old habits died hard.

'Kagome's been through here. Figures Inu-koro would take her to this dinky little village.'

The girl in his arms shifted slightly but otherwise didn't wake up. Kouga was very relived. He didn't think that he could deal with a shrieking girl right now.

'I need to find Kagome. This girl isn't exactly light.'

The yorozoku paused in front of the largest hut, sensing Kagome's distinctive scent in the air. He went inside, prepared to confront Inuyasha and hopefully work off some energy but was met with silence and an empty room.

'What the hell? I smelled her in here,' he thought, very puzzled. 

A sneeze could be heard in the next room as well as footsteps. Kouga immediately dropped into a fighting stance. It didn't surprise him that the person who came through the door way was none other then the hanyou himself.

Inuyasha was stumbling through the door, as if he had one to many cups of sake, leaning heavily on his Tetsusaiga. It would have been really funny at another time, if he wasn't searching for Kagome. The look on the hanyou's face was priceless. His amber eyes were glazed and his nose was red. Inuyasha's face was contorted like he was going to sneeze but settled for a long yawn.

"Eh, Inu-koro, you look like shit," Kouga said bluntly.

"Shut the hell up," he made a sound that was halfway between a yawn and a sneeze, "wimpy wolf."

"Where's the Kagome and the rest of your group?"

Inuyasha rubbed his temple with a clawed hand, struggling to remember. "Sleep potion. That Sayo took Kagome…who's that?" he asked, just noticing the person in Kouga's arms, who was dressed in an outfit similar to that that Kagome would wear. 

"A girl I found in a well," Inuyasha's eyes widened at this, remembering where Kagome came from, "Now who is Sayo and where the hell did she take Kagome?" he continued. 

"It was a trap," Inuyasha said softly, pride wounded. This didn't make the yorozoku happy. It was obvious that the unconscious girl in his arms was the only thing restraining him from attacking the dazed hanyou.

"Kouga!" yelled a voice. The yorozoku spun around and saw his two pack-mates at the door, trailed by a dozen wolves. They were panting heavily, trying to catch their breaths. The only reason that Kouga didn't register their presence was because their scent was familiar. 

"Ginta, Hakkaku," he acknowledged their presence with a nod and walked out the door. "Kouga, where's Kagome-niichan [3]?" asked Hakkaku, the yorozoku with the white Mohawk.

"Ask Inu-koro, he's the one who messed up. And stay with Kagome's pack. Kagome wouldn't like it if they were hurt. Don't eat the kitsune, you should ask Kagome first," he said. "Kouga! Don't leave us again," cried Ginta, the yorozoku with the black and white hair.

Their pack leader smirked. "I'm getting Kagome back," he said, shifting the girl so she was now thrown over his shoulder. With a parting glare at the hanyou, he was off.

Ginta, Hakkaku, and the dozen brown wolves turned their curious eyes at Inuyasha. 

"Stay with the others," Inuyasha ordered, sheathing the Tetsusaiga, before running out the door as well. 

If Inuyasha's speed was slower then usual, the yorozoku didn't comment, they were too busy sulking. They were left behind in the dust, not that they minded as much this time. Now they got a chance to catch their breaths and possibly prove to Kouga that they could protect "Kagome-niichan's" pack.

** [OWARI CHAPTER TWO]**

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**[1]** Kouga calls the unconscious Makoto "Baka onna (idiot woman)." It's a little reminiscent of Wufei but it seems the kind of thing that Kouga would call a girl with his rough/arrogant/rude personality. I doubt he will call her that after she's awake, or rather, not a third time. ^__~

**[2] **Rai is dressed in a red haori. A haori is formal dress so isn't limited to Inuyasha's firerat haori. Rai is not Inuyasha or Sesshomaru and Hani is not Makoto. It's a silver millennium flashback thing. 

**[3] **Saimyoushou are Naraku's poisonous bugs. The timeline of the story is a week after episode 98. Naraku, injured, has gone into hiding. The gang has come to associate the bugs with Naraku's presence. In one episode, Inuyasha chased a Saimyoushou to try to find Naraku's lair. So now they will assume Naraku is nearby.

**[4] **Ginta and Hakkaku call Kagome 'neesan' (older sister). Kouga says that he will take Kagome as a mate since he needs a strong one and since she can sense Shikon no Kakera, he wants her (I still debate the concept of him ever being in love with her). When she's "officially" his mate, she will be pack. Pack is family, thus the 'neesan.'

**[5] **Rai named "Okuni-kun" as the best healer on Saturn and the crown prince. Okuni-kun is actually Okuni-nushi. If you are familiar with Japanese mythology, Okuni-nushi is the god of magic and medicine, the ruler of the unseen things and the spirit world. He seemed perfect for the part of the future king of Saturn. It's a silver millennium flashback so he's a certain somebody's father. Guess…

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**Notes: **I hope you enjoyed that chapter. It was a cliff hanger only because if I continued, it would be twice this length and not up for another two weeks. Makoto wasn't awake in any of this so this was more of a Kagome chapter. I said it was Makoto and Kagome centered. Maybe I should move this to the Inuyasha section. There also wasn't any romance between the characters yet (unless you count Inuyasha giving Kagome his haori since it was cold). The Kagome/Inuyasha relationship will be more obvious in the next chapter (Sango/Miroku near the end of the story). Kouga/Makoto is the obvious pairing or maybe not so obvious. I didn't want him to see her and automatically fall in love. Those kinds of things take time and rushing it isn't nearly as enjoyable. Since the story is less then 15 chapters, it will come soon. I'm not the best romance writer to let you know. [Next chapter to be released two weeks from today…it's the best I can do].-----Review Please----

**Bonus: **If anybody can guess what Japanese gods "Hani" and "Rai" are, I'll give write them their own bonus chapter. Clue: "Hani" and "Rai" are short for some other names (letters added after Hani and Rai), the powers I hinted at, and the drum/lightning pendent that Rai wears (which is symbolic for his powers). It will be revealed in due time who they are and what they have to do with Makoto (though the latter isn't hard to guess).

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**Favorite Scene/Line: **Maybe it was because the youkai was an Alpha male…maybe it was because he had opposable thumbs. [so sad, our wolfie. Maybe he should be given a human form like Artimis {he will be given a name the next chapter}]

~----~

**To Girl-chama: **Your review was cut off after "I" but your guess was right as to the identity of our wolf and the pairing. But shhhh! Don't say a word and I won't inflate your ego any more. ^__^

**To Vash-chan: **I felt kind of bad with kicking Rei out of Makoto's life and replacing her with Kagome (sort of). Kouga seemed like the only IY character that would see past Makoto's tough façade. I won't be using 'Freddy' again, or at least I doubt I will. I also read your revisions to the "If only you smile" but I haven't had time to review. Gomen. Nice of Aoshi to take Makoto back to where it ended. =mini review

**Sailor Lain: **I hope the whole "Inuyasha x-over" hasn't been done to death. I think there are only two other crossovers centered on Makoto (the other ones are of Usagi *shudders*). The wolf's identity wasn't exactly revealed in this chapter but at least you know it's not an enemy.

**Blood Rose077: **Updates will now be every two weeks on Sunday. I'd appreciate it if you don't hunt me down before then. ^__^

**Firey of Jupiter: **I hope this was soon enough. It was either this or making it longer and updating in another two weeks. Soon is a relative term though. This was soon for me believe it or not. ///_- --Trowa


	4. One is the Loneliest Number

**Notes: **Yeah, I know I sort of said this would be out next week but I have four muses bugging me about this story so I was up everyday from 10pm-2am writing, editing, and rereading this story. (still many comma problems). Makoto wakes up in the middle of the chapter (which is my longest yet) so don't stop reading just because it's Kagome (I told you it was Kagome and Makoto centered- not in a yuri way). There's a fight scene that I spent hours slaving over so I hope you enjoy it. Not many translations either. I'm proud of myself.

**Translations: **kekkai [magical shield/ barrier], jyaki [youkai's aura], yorozoku [wolf youkai], kakera [shard/piece], Sengoku Jidai [the age of civil war/Warring States Era –1500 A.D.--]

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha, not even the plushie since my dog chewed it up.

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**Once in a Blue Moon: [3] One is the Loneliest Number**

**By Sarien-chan (ChibiSarien@netscape.net)**

"Don't look so sad Kagome-chan," chided a female voice. Kagome gritted her teeth. She wasn't sad, she was furious, mostly at herself for being naive to think that Sayo was innocent. Her feet were killing her, and on her legs were an assortment of colorful bruises and scrapes, caused by walking on a narrow forest trail in the dead of night. The long knife that Sayo used to prod her every now and then wasn't helping matters. 

"How much longer?" asked the young miko. 

"That eager to be neko food Kagome-chan?" 

Even in the dark, Kagome could tell that Sayo was still smiling. 'If she calls me 'Kagome-chan' one more time…' But Kagome didn't know what she would do to the older girl, having no weapons on her person.

"We're here!" Sayo proclaimed.

'Where is here?' thought Kagome. There was nothing but trees for about a two-mile radius.

"Hold onto my hand. The kekkai won't recognize you and you'll probably be incinerated or possibly cut up into little pieces." How Sayo described her possible death with a smile added to Kagome's fears that this girl was demented.

Without further warning, Sayo pulled her though the invisible kekkai. It felt as if she had stuck her fingers into an electrical socket but was over so fast, she thought she had imagined the whole situation. She looked over at Sayo; she seemed unaffected by what happened. Then she looked around her and gasped.

This giant cavern was not the dark forest she was in previously. It was as bright as daylight for one thing, probably caused stalagmites that were reflecting the light of a ball of gray fire. There was a very thick jyaki around her, and it was very evil.

"Nekori-sama! I've brought the girl, just as you ordered!" the sound of Sayo's voice was echoed throughout the large cavern. "Nekori-sama where-"

"Stupid human, you don't have to shout," said a feminine voice. But there was nobody else in the cave, Kagome checked. The evil jyaki was too thick for her to pinpoint the exact location of the youkai. A strange gray smoke appeared in front of the two girls. It had the shape of a human and appeared to be having difficulty maintaining that. Two eyes with cat like irises blinked at her, unfocused. The only other distinctive feature was a red pulsing light where the heart would go. 

'Shikon no Kakera?' It was faint but Kagome knew that within that pulsing light was a Shikon no Kakera. That meant trouble. It seemed like a hopeless situation before since Nekori had one Kakera, already multiplying her powers. But now that Kagome brought a large Kakera…even Inuyasha would have trouble fighting this youkai and Kagome was alone…

"Are you done staring at me, human? Does my present form amuse you?" came a velvety voice that seemed to be everywhere. 

Startled, Kagome broke her gaze on the youkai and looked over to Sayo, but Sayo appeared to have abandoned her since her mission was over. The saying that "mice abandon a sinking ship" came to mind. 

Kagome stiffened but wisely did not answer. Nekori's form did puzzle her. With the Kakera that she already had, wouldn't she have enough power to take a body?

The smoke began to thin, no longer able to sustain the human-like shape. Yet those gray eyes still froze her in place. The only sound in the cavern now was the pulsing of the youkai's "heart."

"Sayo…bring me," the smoke continued to thin, "the Shikon no Kakera!"

Surprisingly obedient, yet no longer smiling, Sayo reappeared at Kagome's side. "As you wish, Nekori-sama," she turned to Kagome, "no hard feelings Kagome-chan but I need the Kakera." Sayo brandished her long hunter's knife and Kagome's eyes widened. 

She backed up slowly but stopped as she felt the static energy of the kekkai behind her. If she took another step backwards, she'd be turned to ash, yet if she remained, Sayo would kill her, get the Shikon no Kakera, Nekori would use her as a midnight snack (after obtaining the Kakera of course), and wreck bloody havoc all over the world.

'If I go through the kekkai then the youkai can't eat me or use the Shikon no Kakera for evil. I'd be dead though but anything is better then the second option.'

But before Kagome could act, Sayo yanked her forward forcefully by the hair and held the knife to her neck. "You're not supposed to die until dinner time, Kagome-chan," said Sayo, pressing the knife deeper into her skin to the point of drawing blood. She stopped abruptly, carefully pulling the necklace free from the inside of the haori and cut the small glass vial bottle from the leather string. 

The girl examined, as if appraising its value. There was only one Shikon no Kakera in it, but it was a large one, about one fourth the size of the Shikon no Tama (Naraku had about half and the rest was still at large). It was glowing a soft pink, completely purified of the evil taint from its previous owners. Kagome's special ability, in addition to locating the Kakera, was of purification. Her mere presence could purify evil auras (or at least put the stronger ones at ill ease), though unconsciously. She even could fire purifying arrows that could pierce youkai flesh, and they hit the targets more often then not. Of course she was now without her bow and unable to protect herself or stop Sayo from throwing the Kakera into the smoke. 

It appeared to hover for a moment then plunged into the only solid part of the youkai, the pulsing heart. Nekori hissed softly but otherwise made no other cries of pain. The gray smoke began to solidify with every passing second, taking on a human shape once more.

A minute later, Nekori stretched languidly and gave a very neko-like "meow" which wasn't out of place since she was obviously a neko youkai.

Her gray eyes were no longer unfocused and were currently looking around the cavern, as if seeing things for the first time. Two gray neko ears twitched from the top of her head. Gray seemed to be the only color on Nekori, from the short dress she wore to her furry tail. Her long red hair was a startling contrast to her pale skin and the gray she sported. Nekori however carried her twentyish frame elegantly and radiated a strange power. 

"Like what you see human?" came that velvety voice.

Kagome felt the gray slitted eyes bore through her, and vaguely felt Sayo depart yet again. Her skin tingled and her brown eyes widened as she felt the loss of control over her limbs. 'I…I can't move!'

Nekori circled the girl as if she was a neko (which was technically true) and Kagome was the mouse. The "mouse" forced herself not to panic. Her fantasy of Inuyasha coming to save her seemed more hopeless by the minute.

Suddenly, the neko youkai grabbed hold of Kagome's arm, trailing a long and deadly claw on her skin. This time, Kagome was the one to hiss as a thin line of red appeared. 'I won't panic, or scream. That would probably make her happy or something. I'd rather die without embarrassing myself. I'd rather not die at all but Inuyasha isn't here to save me. Though right now I'd settle for Shippou.'

The miko winced as something wet covered the wound. 'She's…licking me? Inuyasha, somebody, please hurry!'

Nekori licked her lips and turned away from the girl. "You taste like her," she turned back and directed a look of pure hatred at the girl, "like that bitch Kikyou who destroyed my body!"

Kagome was scared, especially when the youkai gave her a twisted smile, baring a set of dainty, pointy fangs. "You're not her though, just some pale imitation or reincarnation. Kikyou would have fought back, at least a little with the paralyzing spell on her. But you Kagome, you just stand there, paralyzed with fear and the spell."

"I am nothing like Kikyou! I am me! I am Kagome!" yelled the girl, anger temporarily overriding the spell. She was tired of being compared to the deceased miko. The older villagers who were alive fifty years ago saw Kikyou and were constantly annoyed when she didn't meet their expectations. Kagome spent countless hours agonizing over this and the fact that Inuyasha probably saw Kikyou every time she looked at him. Nekori's mark had hit home.

"So, the kitten has claws. Little kitten, would you like to hear a story?" When Kagome didn't answer, Nekori continued. "Of course you do. It's the least I could do since you've provided me with the Shikon no Kakera as well as dinner." 

Nekori didn't notice Kagome's knees buckle as she collapsed onto the floor, brown eyes filled with the beginnings of hope. 'I can move my toes! Whatever she did to me with her eyes is starting to wear off! Her story should buy me more time.'

"Fifty-two years ago, a powerful neko youkai (the most beautiful in the lands) reigned as mistress over the Southern lands. Wherever she went, other youkai would cower in fear and human blood made the waters run red. Those were good times…but then that devious bitch came and spoiled her plans. The neko youkai and the miko fought a long battle. Things were looking in the beautiful youkai's favor until Kikyou used a dirty, underhanded trick." Nekori turned and looked at the brightly glowing ball of fire that lit the cavern.

'I can move my arms no!' thought Kagome triumphantly. She focused herself now on regaining the use of the rest of her body parts.

Nekori continued the story, now switching to a first person point of view. "Kikyou used the Shikon no Tama and destroyed my body. But I was too strong for her. My body might have been gone but my spirit wasn't. As if that wasn't enough, she sealed me in this cave, which was completely uncalled for!"

Kagome moved her waist slightly. The neko youkai was too caught up in her 'sob' story to notice. 

"Then Sayo came…the human wasn't much more then a kitten but she wanted revenge on her village. I was the one who taught her how to act, mix potions and destroy evidence. Sayo gladly became my servant, "selling her soul" to me, so to speak. Useful human but now that I have my body she's outlived her useless to me."

The girl clutched the insides to the sleeves of the red haori that was oversized but comforting nonetheless. 'I can move my whole body now! Maybe I can push her into the kekkai…but I have to wait for the right moment.'

"Naraku came about a week ago. He gave me one Shikon no Kakera in exchange for killing you, the hanyou, the monk, the youkai tajiya, and the promise of getting one from the miko. The one he gave me only sustained my fading spirit. But now that I have both of them, I can just eat you and the others. It would be a shame to waste a meal."

Nekori turned her gray eyes on Kagome. "After all, I'm hungry," she licked her lips, "it's been so long since I've had a human. Maybe I should cook you first. Then again, devouring you alive has a certain appeal."

She had heard enough. Kagome head butted the youkai into the kekkai. Nekori shrieked as she began to smoke. 'I did it! Now I-' the miko didn't finish that though for she was now pinned to the floor, staring into a pair of furious gray cat eyes.

"Miko, I'm surprised that you broke free of the paralysis but you are still a fool. Did you think that I would not be immune to my own kekkai?"

'To think, I ditched school to die in Sengoku Jidai,' thought Kagome, oddly calm with the present situation.

The neko youkai frowned. "Killing you isn't much fun when you don't scream, miko. Eating you alive should change that." Nekori licked the knife wound at the side of Kagome's neck that still bled.

Kagome closed her eyes and retreated further into her mind, to a place where she could no longer feel her body. There was a strong power here that strangely comforted her. Here she felt safe, free from any pain.

'At least now I won't have to feel my horrible, violent death. Hopefully, it won't take long…what am I thinking! If Inuyasha heard that, he'd call me worse then a coward. I don't want to die! I want to live! I want to see the Shikon completed! I will not die!'

The miko felt as if she had broken some barrier within her mind for a surge of white magic filler her. It was too much. She screamed and Nekori's scream joined hers. Eyes closed, and too busy with her inner struggle, Kagome didn't notice why. 

Nekori was engulfed in a pale pink fire. Being a fire user, fire didn't harm her, but this was a purifying miko fire. It burned like nothing else she had felt before. Even Kikyou didn't have enough white magic to expend in a fire.

Sweat dripped down her bow as she drowned in her own power, throat to hoarse to scream. "Too much power," whispered Kagome. 

"KAZE NO KIZU!" yelled a familiar voice. 

Moonlight flooded the cave as the kekkai evaporated, leaving it once more exposed. 

'Inuyasha!' His voice anchored her once more in reality, making it possible to break free of the hold the power had on her. She blinked open her brown eyes. Nekori was gone.

-----~(Previously)~-----

Kouga's eyes narrowed and he stopped running. His momentum was so great that he slid a couple feet. He stared ahead, bringing one finger forward cautiously. "Kuso!" Immediately he pulled it back and several more curse words followed. Pride kept him from sucking on his hurt finger. It wouldn't do for any youkai to see that weakness, especially not "Inu-koro."

'How the hell can I break through this kekkai without killing myself?' he thought angrily. 

"Looks like you're having trouble, wimpy wolf," came a voice behind him.

Kouga looked over his right shoulder (for Makoto was slung over his left) and saw casually Inuyasha leaning the sheath to the Tetsusaiga.  

"Like you could do any better, puppy," retorted the yorozoku. The hanyou yawned and slowly approached the kekkai.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Inu-koro. That's a kekkai," said Kouga smugly.

"Keh! I can destroy kekkai in my sleep," returned Inuyasha in that same arrogant tone. He drew the Tetsusaiga. The dull, rusty sword transformed into its six-foot counter part. Looking at its new form (that could destroy 100 youkai in one blow if used correctly), one would find it hard to believe that it was made of a fang of the Great Demon Lord of the Western Lands, who coincidently was Inuyasha's deceased father.

The Tetsusaiga began to take on a red glow, small winds revolving around the blade as he prepared his attack. [1]

"KAZE NO KIZU!"

One mighty swing of the fang sword sent a small but focused shock wave at the kekkai. For a moment nothing happened and Kouga opened his mouth, prepared to give Inuyasha his opinion on his failed attack. His blue eyes widened as the barrier began to dissolve, revealing a large cavern and Kagome crumpled in a heap on the floor. Her kidnapper was nowhere in sight.    

"Kagome!" yelled both Kouga and Inuyasha in unison. They exchanged glares.

"You actually did something right, puppy," called Kouga as he ran by him. The hanyou started to run but Kouga was already ahead of him. The yorozoku was faster, even with the girl weighing him down. Inuyasha on the other hand moved sluggishly as he was still recovering from the affects of the sleeping potion.

He did, however, reach Kagome in time to hear her say "Kouga-kun!" Inuyasha gritted his teeth every time he heard her add that "kun" to the wolf's name. Though it would be like pulling teeth to get him to admit to jealousy.

~-----(Kagome)-----~

Kagome blinked her eyes, hoping that they weren't playing cruel tricks on her. If they weren't then Kouga was standing beside her, a strange creature slumped over his shoulder. She didn't give the 'thing' a second glance. It didn't matter. Help had arrived, even though it wasn't the help she expected.

"Kouga-kun!"

"Looks like Inu-koro really screwed up this time."

"Shut up, you stupid wolf," came a gruff voice.

"Inuyasha!" she exclaimed, attempting to get up. Her limbs protested at the sudden movement so she thought the better of it and stayed put. "Why…why are you here? I thought you drank the tea too!"

He snorted. "I'm Inuyasha, remember?" She just stared at him so he added, "Sayo underestimated me since I'm a hanyou," he said that last word bitterly, "She only put enough potion in the tea to knock out humans and weak youkai like Shippou and Kirara."

'That makes sense. He still does look a little sleepily,' she thought to herself. 

A gray cloud appeared behind the hanyou, slowly reforming into the neko youkai. "Inuyasha! Behind you!"

But the hanyou was not fast enough. Nekori was straddled across his back, taking swipes at it with her very sharp claws. Inuyasha tried in vain to dislodge her.

"Get off me!" he caught her wrist finally and threw her off. She sailed though the air, but recovered, executing a flip as she landed on her feet.

"You must be the hanyou that Naraku has told me so much about. I am called Nekori. It's a pity you're fighting back. When I'm through with you, there won't be enough left of you to make a decent meal," she turned her gaze to the yorozoku, "You, Naraku didn't tell me anything about you. Don't glare at me so, wolf. You'll have to wait your turn."

Inuyasha charged at her and took to the air at the last minute, pulling the Tetsusaiga in a downward swing as he reached her. The force of the blow sent debris and dust flying everywhere. When it cleared, it was obvious that he had missed the neko completely. Even Kouga saw that Inuyasha wasn't likely to win with his speed slower then usual, but a pride kept him from interfering.

"Too slow, hanyou!" Nekori reformed and flung herself at the bewildered hanyou's back, putting all her weight into a blow with her elbow. Inuyasha went down.

He rolled out of the way in time to avoid the coming finishing move. Her fist left a small crater in the floor. "Keh! Is that the best you have, pussy cat?" taunted Inuyasha, standing once more and gripping the Tetsusaiga with both hands. 

That remark only provoked Nekori. She gave him a twisted grin that Kagome had seen used before. 'She's just playing with him like she did with me. Inuyasha isn't even fast enough to avoid her attacks. Inuyasha…'

"Come at me you mutt!" 

He happily obliged. With a look of determination on his face, he leaped into the air and cut his Tetsusaiga downward with an audible swish. But Nekori was no longer there.

"Baka! I'm behind you," the neko youkai said in annoyance. 

Inuyasha spun around and raised the Tetsusaiga, prepared to use the "Kaze no Kizu" but to his surprise, he felt a weight holding the sword down. His amber eyes narrowed at the youkai who was currently kneeling on the floor, stopping the blade at the base with her clawed hands. 

"You're beginning to bore me using the same slow attacks over again." She yawned for added affect.

Nekori freed one hand and sent a punch out. The blow landed on his unprotected chest. Inuyasha was sent flying into the far cavern wall, a testament to the youkai's true strength. He hit the wall, with so much force that a crack appeared, before sliding down.

"Inuyasha," cried Kagome weakly.

~----~(Kouga)~----~

'Shit, the puppy didn't even last five minutes. He picked a hell of a day to be sleepy. I'd better go show him how to do it the right way.' Kouga looked down at Kagome who was lying down on her side, too weak to get up but still watching Inuyasha with concern.

"Watch the onna until I get back. This shouldn't take long."

The yorozoku dumped his passenger unceremoniously to the ground and took off in a blur, leaving a shocked Kagome behind.

"Makoto?" he could hear her exclaim. 'So Kagome knows that girl…I can't think about that now, I have to teach this neko a lesson.'

"Here kitty!" called Kouga, effectively pulling Nekori's attention from the injured hanyou who was struggling to stay conscious. 

"Oooh! Another mutt to play with. You better last longer then the hanyou. Between you and me, I think he's had one to many drinks." Her tail swished back and forth as she stalked towards Kouga, a malicious grin on her pale face.  

"Don't compare me to that puppy, neko."

She hissed. "We'll see…" With that, the fight between the yorozoku and the neko youkai began.

With incredible speed and agility for which neko youkai were known for, she dashed forward. The yorozoku charged as well, with a greater speed then Nekori but lacking her finesse. They both took to the air the last minute, and met somewhere in the middle with a clash of strength, will, and claws. 

Nekori landed gracefully, pulling a flip that would put most gymnasts to shame where as Kouga landed in a crouch. Kagome blinked, unsure of what just happened until Kouga rose, his chest armor now sported four long gashes, but Nekori's claws did not appear to have touched his skin. But she, on the other hand was gaping in astonishment. Her knees buckled under her as she gasped for breath. Kouga's mid air kick hit her square in the chest. She coughed up a little blood and rose again. 

"You're fast, mutt. Unlike you, however, I am more then just speed and brute strength."

She held up her right hand. A ball of gray fire, similar to the one that lit the cave, hovered there before being hurled at the yorozoku. He just barely dodged that when another one followed, narrowly missing him but singing his tail.

Kouga switched from offensive to defensive, utilizing the Shikon no Kakera in his legs to gain speed as well as his natural instincts. Still, it was an effort to dodge the volley of fire.

"Damn, I can't dodge these things all day and she's not letting me get close enough to attack." He knew that eventually he would falter and a fiery death did not seem appealing.

--------~(Makoto, at last!)~---------

"Makoto…could she have discovered the well? How could she get through without a Shikon no Kakera?" whispered a girl, thinking out loud. "Oh no, Kouga!" 

My eyes were closed but I could feel the cold stone floors underneath me. Something screamed at me that I wasn't in the Shrine anymore. I wish that girl would shut up though. My head hurt like somebody had dropped a ton of bricks on it and hearing noise wasn't making it any better.

'Oh, now I remember.' All the events since I arrived at the shrine came rushing back, definitely not helping my migraine. 'I met Kagome on my way back to school, nice girl. Then we went back to the shrine. Rei talked a lot. I was lost. Then there was that thumping noise upstairs. Like a good little senshi, I went to investigate. Kagome was gone. That violent not-boyfriend kidnapped her. I followed them to the well then accidentally stepped on a neko. The neko got back at me by using my legs as a scratching post. Then I fell into the well and bumped my head.' I groaned. Oh how I wish I could forget all that. 

The sounds of a battle filled my trained ears. No rest for me. I blinked open my eyes slowly and found myself looking into a very concerned Kagome. My eyes closed again, the effort of opening them sent my head spinning. 'Wait, Kagome!'

I bolted upright and immediately regretted it. The brightness of the cave (for that is what it appeared to be) nearly blinded my unadjusted eyes and made my temples throb. What did I do to deserve this…oh wait, I got bored. 

"Makoto, you're up!" cried Kagome weakly but with enthusiasm. She looked like she'd tangled with a thorn bush but I guess I looked as bad. What bothered me was why though. Did I get here to late? Did this Inuyasha hurt her and kidnap me too?

"What happened?" I asked, my voice husky with disuse. She opened her mouth to answer but we were suddenly strayed with rocks and dust, a ball of fire exploding a few feet away. That was when I noticed that a battle was indeed raging behind us. The source of the red and white from earlier was at the far end of the cavern. Inuyasha, I believe he was called, was struggling to get up and it was a amazing, what with how many injuries he appeared to have.

But that wasn't why we'd almost been blasted with a misdirected attack. Two people, who definitely weren't human, were currently locked in a battle. The female (who was some sort of neko hybrid) was the source of the fireball attacks and was throwing them at a male (probably some wolf hybrid). The boy couldn't have been more then two years older then me but was so fast that it made me dizzy just keeping up. However he wasn't faring well. Many of the attacks were getting closer to their mark as he slowed down.  

"On second thought, you can tell me later Kagome. Just tell me which of the two is the baddie."

Her brown eyes widened. "Makoto, you might be a good fighter but those two are youkai!" Ah, so that's what they were. It explained all the supernatural powers. "You're injured!"

I stood up slowly. "I'm used to it," I said with no particular satisfaction. It was true though and the throbbing had lessened and I could actually stay balanced now.

"But-but they're youkai!" she persisted. Kagome tried to get up but fell flat on her butt. Something had drained most of her white magic because I could just barely feel it. No wonder she was weak. 

'That will be a problem…I have to transform, but my identity will be at risk. Damn! I have to do it anyway. Maybe when we get back home, wherever that is, Setsuna can do something about her memories.'

My henshin wand appeared in my hand, via the sub space pocket. I raised it to the air and shouted the four familiar words.

"Jupiter Crystal Power, Make-up!" 

Immediately the comforting electricity enveloped me as my clothing dissolved. It didn't matter much. In those moments, I was a creature of pure energy. Regretfully, my Senshi fuku appeared piece by piece. The electricity vanished, as well as my visible wounds (though my head still ached).

I turned to Kagome and hid a smile. Her jaw was dropped and her eyes were widened in astonishment. It hurt me a little bit. For some reason, I expected her to understand since she's a miko and all. She reminded me of a certain ondago atama with the pure aura and innocence.

"Now which one is the bad guy?"

"Ne-ne-neko," she stuttered, still shocked at my transformation. I guess I would be too in her place. 

"I'm really beginning to hate cats," I muttered, making my way towards the neko who was laughing gleefully as she threw more of the fireballs. 

The boy was still running and dodging the attacks. His eyes widened when he saw me. Baka! That moment of hesitation caused the fireball to hit him in the side. He caught himself as he fell, dropping into a fighter's crouch, glaring at me.

The neko youkai frowned, and turned. I guess she was angry that she wasn't the center of attention anymore. 

"Who are you!" she demanded imperiously. I was used to those lines. In response, Usagi usually was the one to give "the speech" but since she wasn't here and it felt wrong to go into battle without one, at least a condensed version…

"I am Sailor Jupiter, senshi of lightning and nature. Youma, Youkai, Lemure. I don't care what the hell you are, but you hurt Kagome. Besides, your evil jyaki is making me sick. In the name of Jupiter, I will punish you." To save my pride, I didn't strike a pose. That much movement would probably make the room go spinning. As a rule, you don't embarrass yourself in front of the enemy.

"I don't need your help!" said the fallen yorozoku, now standing but clutching his side.

"I started this so I am going to finish this," came the voice of the boy who'd kidnapped Kagome. Maybe he wasn't as evil as I thought.

"Baka! Both of you are injured! I don't know you but I can do this on my own so just stay away!" My powers were a little rusty but I was more then capable of taking one youkai on my own. It was just male arrogance and pride talking. They'd probably say the same if they were in a full body cast.

"I don't need some onna to help me," said the yorozoku.

"Makoto! Look out!" called Kagome.

I looked up to see a giant ball of gray heading my way.

The miniature antenna of my gold tiara was out, emitting sparks of electricity.

"Jupiter Thunder," electricity was channeled to my hand, "Crash!"

That one word released a ball of electricity towards the oncoming attack. In reality, it took less then a minute but time seems to slow when I channel elemental energy.

My attack met the fireball half way, causing an explosion and a blinding light. I didn't wait for the light to clear, and immediately ran towards her, taking to the air the last minute and drop kicking the temporarily blinded neko. My booted heels connected with her back, knocking her back several feet. She dissolved into a cloud of gray smoke.

"Wow…that was easier then I thought." 

You can understand my surprise when I felt her weight on my back, her claws taking vicious, bloody swipes at my skin. 

I bit my tongue to keep from screaming, drawing blood. I would not give the two males reason to doubt my skill. They were injured and weren't crying. There's no reason I can't do the same.

My attempts to dislodge her failed.

Thankfully the pain stopped as the yorozoku threw her off my back. Sure, I was still bleeding, but I've been through worse. Remember, this is a girl who died three times in battle.

Sometime during all this, Kagome had crawled her way to the injured boy. The softened look in his hard features as he saw her made me think my earlier opinion of him.

I turned back to look at the neko youkai and immediately cursed at myself for letting my gaze wander from the enemy. 'Coward.' She was weakened but was summoning up a lot of her remaining energy to fire at Inuyasha and Kagome. I didn't have time to attack and neither did the wolf.

"Kagome!" we both yelled in warning. Time seemed to slow as the boy threw himself in front of the girl.

At the last possible moment a dome-like kekkai, glowing pink but transparent as glass, appeared between the two and the oncoming fireball. The gray ball hit the kekkai with a great crash but the kekkai held strong.

'A miracle.' The energy signature was familiar though. 'No, not a miracle, Kagome,' I corrected myself. Though I was surprised she had enough energy to create a kekkai. That says a lot for desperation.

The kekkai vanished and Kagome fainted. Inuyasha (who I just noticed had dog ears) caught her before she hit the floor. My opinion of him rose slightly.

I turned my attention on the neko youkai. The yorozoku already had the situation under control. Seeing as the neko youkai was weakened, he had no problem with dodging any more attacks. His speed was amazing, even if he was injured, and would put Haruka to shame. He was also very strong, though it was probably because he was a youkai as well. 

After the first couple of minutes he wore down her defenses. He was no martial artist but brute strength worked just as effectively. Two minutes later she was on the floor, bruised and bleeding. 'It seems kind of wrong though…without the ears and tail, she'd be human.'

Then I reminded myself that she almost killed all of us and was a youkai. Of course, looking at the wolf, I realized that some youkai were good, though maybe he had ulterior motives. That made me wonder what the neko youkai did wrong to provoke this battle in the first place.

"Hurry up and finish her off!" said the yorozoku. It took me a second to realize that he was talking to me, and another to understand why. He couldn't finish her off with physical attacks. I tried to hide my smile. 'He needs me.' I could see it injured his masculine pride to ask me but at least he had the sense to push it aside briefly and ask.

I nodded in understanding and summoned up all of my remaining elemental energy.

"Jupiter Supreme Thunder Dragon, Crash!"

The giant electrical dragon that I created with my powers gave a roar and flew for the neko youkai. She gave a startled cry but it was too late. The attack engulfed her. She screamed as her body convulsed.

When the dragon vanished, there was nothing left of the youkai except for a gray clod of smoke. She wasn't a dead yet. I remembered what happened the last time.

"Kuso!" cursed the wolf youkai. My sentiments exactly.

The gray mist was slowly reforming again. The wolf plunged his arm into the cloud and pulled out a strange pulsing pink ball. It appeared to be some sort of heart. He pulled out some sort of strange crystals from the strange heart, which soon vanished.

"Nooo!" came the weak disembodied voice of the neko youkai. The gray cloud vanished and did not reform.

I swayed slightly. Using all of my elemental energy was not the brightest idea. But I had to be sure that the neko youkai would not come back.

The wolf youkai gave me an indiscernible look as he approached me. 

My senshi fuku was flickering to and from my school fuku. I cursed silently as it reverted completely to my torn and dirty school fuku. The loss of so much elemental energy and blood didn't allow me to sustain my senshi form. It could not have happened at a worse time. For all that he saved me, he was still a youkai.

Stepping into a fighter's stance, I willed myself not to faint, hanging on by a thread. 'I will not faint, I will not faint,' I repeated to myself.

"Hey onna, I told you that it was my fight," he said in that superior tone that I hated already.

Everything went black as I lost my battle to stay conscious. The last thing I felt was the wolf youkai catch me, none to gently I might add.

~-----(Kouga)-----~

"Baka onna," he muttered, picking her up once again. This time he did not sling her over his shoulder (in consideration for her injuries). Instead, he carried her bridal style and walked slowly over to Kagome, with consideration to his own injuries, which he was just beginning to really feel with the adrenaline gone. 

Inuyasha had Kagome cradled in his arms, stroking her back and murmuring something to her. Kagome was barely injured though unconscious and the hanyou looked half dead as a result of the battle and half sleep from the weak sleep potion. 

'Kagome knows hot to use her miko powers,' he mused, 'She can already sense the Shikon no Kakera. She'll make a good mate.' Looking at the "puppy" and the miko, a he realized that though she would make a good mate, she would never be his. He would still treat Kagome as his future mate, if only to piss "Inu-koro" off. 

Kouga froze as he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. He spun around and saw a human woman with a hunter's knife in hand and a crazed look upon her face. 

A simple human weapon could kill him in his present weakened state, holding the "onna."

"You killed Nekori-sama!" She yelled fanatically, knife poised to attack. 

A blur of white sent the knife flying and pinned her to the floor. 

'It's the wolf from before. I thought I took care of him…Kuso! Just what I need right now.'

The gold chain the human wore began to glow. The wolf jumped clear of the body right before she burst into gray flames. Her screams echoed throughout the cavern as her skin blackened. The stench of burning flesh filled the air, making him nauseous.

The white wolf spun to face him and Kouga found himself starting into silver, green, and emerald tri-colored irises. It was very disconcerting.

I did not kill the human The voice came in response to his unvoiced question. Kouga went slack jawed in astonishment. That voice, though faint, came inside his head!  

Her former mistress must have enchanted the necklace to take make her servant follow her to hell in case she should meet an untimely end. It was not of my doing

As the wolf advanced on him, Kouga noticed how injured he was. He cradled on broken paw to his chest and left a trail of black blood from a chest wound as it limped forward. He also appeared to be having trouble just breathing, no doubt from one or more broken ribs. It was a miracle that the wolf was still standing and to have made his way all the way from the well…

Harm the hime and you die, wolf prince His voice was fainter this time. The wolf collapsed onto his side, wounded and exhausted.

"Hime? What hime?" said a perplexed Kouga. It couldn't have been Kagome, because she was destined to become a great miko. And it defiantly couldn't have been the hanyou, for obvious reasons.

Kouga looked down at the unconscious girl in his arms and cursed. She must have been the reason why he was attacked earlier. The white wolf must have thought he was going to eat her.

"Of all the girls to save, it have to be the onna who's a hime, can fight like a warrior, and has a strange wolf for a guardian." He said a few more choice words before turning to the hanyou.

Inuyasha was now asleep, still holding onto Kagome. The yorozoku seemed to be the only one still conscious. Though it was almost funny, it would be no laughing matter if Naraku caught them. Kouga gritted his teeth and kicked the hanyou awake.

He did not fancy carrying everybody back himself and if the hime didn't get her wounds treated in time, she would die and apparently he'd have an angry wolf guardian at his throat (literally). If he couldn't stop to rest now, there was no way he was letting the "puppy" have any rest either. 

~-----(Outside)-----~

A horde of Saimyoushou hovered at the mouth of the cavern, out of earshot but still within spying distance. Their orders weren't to attack. Though the group was easy pray now. No, their orders were to watch Nekori and take the Shikon no Kakera after she killed the miko. Naraku's plan had failed miserably. 

They flew off into the night, towards Naraku's latest lair, to report their new findings. **[OWARI CHAPTER THREE]**

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**[1]** About the Tetsusaiga turning red…. ####Spoiler warning#### [Episodes 73-74] Myouga tells Inu-Yasha that if he wishes to make Tetsusaiga stronger and to break Naraku's kekkai, he has to cut a strong kekkai with it. He tells them of the kekkai of the Hyakki bats, so the group sets out. They find that the Hyakki bats are attacking a local village, even after the village gave them Shiori, a half youaki (her father was the former bat youkai lord and they need her blood legacy) child of one of the women of the village. The Hyakki bats break their promise and continue attacking the village, and when Inuyasha goes to break their kekkai, he finds that Shiori is the one creating the kekkai.

With some help from Shiori and her dead father, Inuyasha finally defeats Taigokumaru (the big Lord bat, Shiori's grandfather) and cuts the kekkai with Tetsusaiga, which turns Tetsusaiga red. ----summary from Sengoku Jidai [http:// web .utk. edu/ ~bborchar/ updates. html --- remove the spaces]----- Now he can destroy kekkai and when he does this, the Tetsusaiga turns red. It does not turn red when he does a regular "Kaze no Kizu."

**[2] **Repeatedly in the anime, Kouga sees Inuyasha and Kagome together. He usually shrugs it off and still claims Kagome as his future mate. When he flirts with her, Inuyasha gets really mad and starts to fight Kouga (which gets me mad because he hasn't claimed Kagome at all and still thinks about Kikyou). The miko usually ends it with an "osuwari." I used my artistic license for Kouga to finally get it through his head. It seems hopeless in the anime. ^__^ ''

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**Notes: **This chapter was a bit long. I hope you all liked the fighting scenes. I rarely write them and I tend to be vague so tell me if you didn't understand what was going on and I'll edit it. In some of the reviews I've received, I've been told that this story is being read (and enjoyed/understood) by people who have never seen Inuyasha. The footnotes and short explanations in the chapter is my way of clearing things up for you guys. I'm glad they help. Lady Wolf Moon correctly guessed who both Rai and Hani are (and why they're important). 

Rai is short for Raiden. God of thunder and lightning. He is pictured as a red demon with sharp claws and carrying a large drum. I didn't make him red; instead I used my writers' license and gave him a red haori. And I didn't make him evil, just a tough warrior with a soft side for Hani. 

Hani is short for Haniyasu-hime, Goddess of the Earth. It really is fitting for them. Now that I've revealed who they are, the part they play should be pretty obvious. [Next update might be next Sunday, if not, the Sunday after that] ----Please Review----

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**Favorite Line/Scene: **"I'm Inuyasha, remember?" She just stared at him blankly… [Kagome wasn't impressed *shakes head*]

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**To M.A.: **Wow, that was a very long review. Makoto and Kagome talking about how much Kouga and Inuyasha annoy them should be interesting (though probably not what you were talking about). Mako-chan finally regained consciousness but she sort of fainted again…At least Kouga caught her. I'm not trying to rush the romance. Here we see a bit of Inuyasha/Kagome and Makoto appreciates Kouga's fighting skills among other things. I am very glad that the Author's notes helped you. If anything is vague then let me know and I'll edit it. I hope you start watching Inuyasha, though AMVs are nice (I have several on my pc). You got Rai was the god of thunder. Have you played Mortal Combat? Love that game. Don't apologize for the length of the review. Getting long reviews is fun. I hope you know I have that goofy smile on my face again. 

**To LitaMinamino: **I hope this was soon enough for you. I finished writing it in seven hours but it took me another seven to type. Recently I fell down the stairs and fractured my wrist so I'm not exactly the fastest typist now. The next one should be next week if my muses haven't deserted me. ^__^

**To Kia Minokoe: **Yay! I'm glad that my story has helped you understand the wonderful world of Inuyasha. I hope to introduce Ayame, Naraku, Kagura, and possibly Sesshoumaru in addition to Kouga, Shippou, Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Kirara. If you're beginning to get lost then tell me and I'll clear it up. I'm writing this as if nobody has watched Inuyasha so everybody can understand. I hope you'll like Inuyasha as much as I do. ^__^ ''

**To Jupluna: **Yup. Rai is short for Raiden. I got the idea to do a flashback dream sequence after playing Mortal Combat. Sad but true. Makoto and Inuyasha won't get along at first (she'll beat him up a little). Their personalities are so much the alike, the same goes for Kouga. I can't reveal more because it will begin in the next chapter and I don't even know what I'm going to write yet. My muses are now locked in a cage so they don't run away. x__x

**To Firey of Jupiter: **This soon enough for you? I even made it really long though I think I squished too many things in it.

**To Lady Wolf Moon: **Banzai! Banzai! Banzai! You got it right. The part about Okumi-nushi being Naraku's father scared me. It has a father? *lol* I was thinking of having him as Hotaru's father. My mind works in odd ways and I don't clearly explain them. Seeing as you got the bonus, you can either have a bonus chapter about Once in a Blue Moon (that might or might not be incorporated in the story), have a cameo in it (a villager that they have to save or something like that, you can pick), or a one-shot story with whatever plot you want(anything Makoto centered). E-mail or IM me about that so I can get started. You don't have to claim the prize but I have nothing to do and will go mad soon. @__@


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